Race Previews

Mascarpone Cheese Spread & Artsy Fartsy Stuff...

Tuesday, 28 September 2010 04:00

Race Preview - Sadly, Minnesota's final multi of the 2010 season will be contested this Saturday in Grand Rapids. The event is the 4th annual Kickin' Leaves Duathlon and consists of a scenic 10-mile bike race bookended by similarly scenic three mile runs. The race, though under-publicized, deserves to be supported and perpetuated, so if you can find it in your aerobically obsessive heart to squeeze in one more run-bike-run this season, we suggest you visit the..

event's WEBSITE to register and/or learn more about the Kickin' Leaves Du.

We'd like to entice you to make the trek to Grand Rapids by reminding you that there's lots of cool stuff to see and do in the area. Have you ever heard of the MacRostie Art Center? Neither had we until we Googled "cool things to see and do in grand rapids mn." Here's what we learned:

"Today the MAC is an established regional art center that brings together students and teachers, artists and buyers and people throughout the community with a passion for creating and experiencing art. The classes offered to children and adults, the gift shop featuring the work of local artists, and the monthly exhibits of regional and national artists all serve to advance the goal of the MAC to foster community growth through the arts in northern Minnesota." Wow.

Check out the MAC's WEBSITE. We think you'll like the rotating art at the top of the page. Lotsa cool stuff; much of which was produced by incredibly talented native Americans. Our favorite is the one with the smiley girl growing out of an eclectic landscape, that is simultaneously alpine and tropical. Very cool. We tried to pull the image but couldn't. Sorry.

We also Googled "cools places to eat stuff in grand rapids mn." (You don't have to capitalize and punctuate when you Google, er, google.) We found what appears to be a bodacious Italian restaurant. It's called "Rivers Italian" and they serve authentic Mediterranean stuff. Check out the lunch menu:

Lunch Menu

Bellezza Simole Selection of cured meats, olives, Marcona almonds, and artisanal cheeses.

Bruschetta Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and garlic served on crostini.

Trio Misto Three Italian sauces for your homemade bread includes our famous red sauce, three cheese Fonduta, and roasted garlic mascarpone.

Marinated Vegetable Plate Assortment of fresh seasonal vegetable marinated in extra virgin olive oil red wine vinegar, and herbs.

Salad: Roasted Garlic Caesar, Bacon and Egg Spinach Salad

Penne Fresh penne pasta tossed with sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and crushed fennel seed in light cream.

Pasta Del Giorno Your server will be happy to enlighten you.

Served on our freshly baked Focaccia bread, all paninis are served with your choice of mixed green salad or Zuppa del Giorno.

Italian Roasted Beef Panini Fresh roasted beef with roasted bell pepper mascarpone cheese spread, saute?ed crimini mushrooms, and melted provolone cheese.

Marinated Vegetable Panini Marinated and saute?ed yellow squash, zucca, artichoke hearts, sundried tomato , and a roasted garlic cracked black pepper parmesan cheese spread.

Chicken Florentine Panini Breast of chicken with fresh tomato, romaine lettuce, and spinach artichoke mascarpone spread.

And the dinner menu is even harder to understand, which means it must be totally good, right? If this stuff eats as good as it sounds, then it's totally worth the trip to Grand Rapids, no matter where you're starting point is. Twin Cities. Duluth. Katmandu, Nepal. Doesn't matter.

(Hey, what do you think the yellow stuff in the photo is?)

Visit the restaurant's classy WEBSITE to learn more, okay?

Now for race predictions: Taggart Downare will repeat as men's champ and lower, albeit slightly, his own course record. The Tagster's in great shape and still hungry for racing. A win would be the 5th (4th in 2010) of his young multisport career.

We think local stud Phil Imholte will place 2nd on Saturday.

The women's champ should be Phil's spousal unit, Tara Makinen, who like Taggart is a totally cool person. And like Taggart, "Tag" to his friends, Tara is very fast. We don't expect Ms. Makinen (Finnish pronunciation) to break Jeanne Fleck's CR, a totally awesome 1:03:40. That mark could stand for a very long time. Makinen has won two other multis this season.